History, Anthropology, Religions

I. Understanding the Fundamentals of Biological Evolution: The key mechanisms of evolution will be described in accessible terms, including natural selection, the role of chance in genetic variations, the importance of new characteristics, and gene flow between groups. It will be illustrated how these evolutionary processes apply to the understanding of the origins and diversity of humans and other primates. II. Exploring the Diversity and Evolutionary Relationships of Primates: The main groups of primates will be recognized and distinguished, such as prosimians (lemurs and similar), New World monkeys (spider monkeys and baboons), and hominoids (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and humans). It will be explained, through a historical-evolutionary approach, how these groups are connected to each other in the great tree of life. III. Understanding the Comparative Anatomy of Primates: The main characteristics of the skeleton and body shape of primates will be presented, highlighting how these characteristics are linked to their behaviors (such as locomotion and feeding) and their adaptation to the environment. IV. Reviewing the Fundamental Stages of Human Evolution: The distinctive features of the most important hominin fossils (our direct ancestors) will be described, understanding the general sequence of evolutionary changes that led to modern humans. V. Introduction to Human Population Genetics: A basic understanding of how genetics studies the differences within and between human populations will be provided, exploring how genetic variation is geographically and historically distributed. VI. Analyzing the Factors that Shape Human Variation: The intertwined role of the environment (climate, resources), culture (habits, technologies), and genetics in determining the biological diversity observed in humans (such as differences in height, skin color, or certain physiological capacities) will be discussed. VII. Discussing the Concepts of Adaptation and Biological Flexibility: It will be explained how humans adapt to different environmental conditions not only culturally but also biologically. It will be understood how the environment can influence the expression of our genes, leading to different physical manifestations (phenotypic plasticity). VIII. Exploring the Behavior of Non-Human Primates: The main ways in which primates live in groups, communicate with each other, and obtain food will be described, reflecting on how the study of these behaviors can offer insights for understanding some aspects of human behavior. IX. Reflecting on the Biological Bases of Human Behavior: It will be examined how our biology interacts with culture and the environment in shaping human behaviors, avoiding simplistic biological determinisms and considering the complexity of this interaction.

Non sono previsti prerequisiti rispetto a insegnamenti del corso di Laurea.

Slides: verranno fornite le slide utilizzate nel corso delle lezioni. Books Intervista impossibile al DNA di Giovanni Destro Bisol (Autore) Marco Capocasa (Autore) Il Mulino, 2018 Italiani. Come il DNA ci aiuta a capire chi siamo di Giovanni Destro Bisol (Autore) Marco Capocasa (Autore) Carocci, 2016

Attendance is optional.

Oral exam on key points of the course, with the option for attendees to present a topic of their choice.

Twenty one face-to-face lectures with integrated seminars and practical exercises.